The swing porch swing creaked as Stiles sat beside Allison. It was weird they were at Scott's house since she and Scott were no longer dating, but he just internalized it.

"What Scott said was rude," Allison told Stiles quietly. "It was uncalled for and I'm sorry."

"What he said wasn't wrong, though," Stiles sighed as he pushed the swing back with his legs. He let them go and it began to propel itself forward. "Derek has tried, more than once, to kill our friends. He and Scott have a lukewarm relationship at the best of times. I think the only thing that would have offended Scott more would be if you started dating Jackson."

"That won't happen, seeing as how he's in London. There's also the complete asshole thing, too," Allison countered as she played with the ends of her hair. Fingers ran through long locks as Allison's eyes met Stiles'. "Look, if you're happy, and I can't believe I'm saying this, then I'll just shut up and support you. But if he ever hurts you he's dead."

Stiles nodded in appreciation. "I know that isn't easy for you to say. I'm not mad at Scott, though. He makes sense. It's just that he can't let go of old grudges. It's kind of always been a thing. And it's not like Derek is that great of a person at the best of times."

"Can I ask what you see in him? Besides all the muscles," Allison laughed as she kept the momentum going on the swing. "I always thought I'd see you with some cute, nerdy girl."

"Not Lydia?" Stiles snorted as Allison shook her head in the negative. "I don't know. There's just this magnetism. I'm drawn to him like Scott was to you in the beginning, I guess. Plus, he has the whole brooding older guy thing going for him."

"Whatever you say," Allison said with a roll of her eyes. "And you two became an item how? Let me know if I'm prying too much, but last I knew you were kind of heterosexual."

After cracking his knuckles and biting his fingernails, Stiles finally shrugged and answered. "Scott was unconscious, Derek was helping we load him into the back of the jeep to take him to his boss the vet, we were sweaty and things kind of happened. It's all very gross and not romantic, but we are where we are.

"And at least Scott told me that he's fine with the whole being into dudes thing. I guess that counts for something. He'll come around eventually. I was probably just as annoyed when you two got together, and I didn't hate you."

Allison giggled and bumped her shoulder into Stiles' as they rocked the swing simultaneously. He smiled at her as his hands played with the hemline of his shirt. Sometimes all that was needed was someone who would listen and let you vent, whether they agreed with you or not. As much as Stiles loved Scott, he was never going to be that person. It was okay. Stiles had gotten exactly what he expected.

The front door of the McCall house opened and Scott stepped onto the porch looking ashamed. Allison stopped the swing and decidedly looked at anything but her ex-boyfriend.

"Hey." Scott's voice was full of regret as he looked at Stiles. "Do you think I can apologize for being a complete dick?"

"Why start now?" Stiles shot back with a grin.

Allison vacated the swing and looked at the floor as she gestured for Scott to sit. "I think I'm going to go inside and... I don't know." She excused herself and awkwardly slid past Scott and into the house.

For his part, Scott carefully sat beside Stiles, as if he were afraid he was going to be struck.

"I'm fine with the gay thing." Scott assured Stiles nervously as he put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I know, Scott. You told me. Repeatedly." Stiles kicked off the wood floor, catching Scott off guard as the swing resumed its flight path. "You don't like Derek. It's fine. You don't have to like everyone I date."

"Everyone? Stiles, this is the only one," Scott pointed out with a cheeky smile. "Like, why couldn't you be into Danny or someone a little less violent?"

"Says the guy who tried to kill me multiple times," Stiles replied with an eyeroll. "Look, I get it, you're worried about me. If things ever do go bad with Derek you'll be the first one I come to with anything. You're pretty much my brother, and that goes deeper than anything with any guy ever will."

Scott pulled Stiles into a hug. For his part, Stiles warmly returned the gesture. The swing just kept on swinging.

"Now we just need to get you a woman. I need to see how a double date with us would go," Stiles joked as he and Scott broke apart.